Giving drugs to control an irregular heartbeat does not reduce the risk of stroke.

Atrial fibrillation is a condition in which the upper chambers of the heart beat out of control. The natural rhythm can be restored using medication, but it's not been clear if such drugs can also reduce the risk of stroke. We do know that atrial fibrillation represents a serious risk factor for having a stroke.

Researchers from the University of Texas now report on the six year AFFIRM (Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management) study. This covers 4,060 patients, all of whom were on the anticoagulant warfarin. Some were on anti-arrhythmic drugs, while others were given an alternative therapy called rate regulation.

The study reveals that warfarin cuts the risk of stroke by 70 per cent. But in the group on anti-arrhythmic drugs, 8.9 per cent suffered strokes, compared to 7.4 per cent on rate regulation. In other words, medication to control the heart rate is not as successful as had been hoped, the researchers conclude.

Source

American Academy of Neurology 2nd April 2003